Pitchers adapted for dispensing beverages and the like that are associated with mixing subassemblies, particularly a cooperating mixing subassembly having a mixing head that is manually reciprocated vertically while the pitcher is an upright orientation, are well known. Commonly, such a pitcher has a cross-sectionally circular configuration. Moreover, the associated mixing subassembly has a mixing head mounted on the lower end of a shaft which projects upwards, which slidably and centrally extends through a pitcher mouth cover member, and which terminates in a hand-graspable handle portion. When the shaft is manually reciprocated, the mixing head produces agitation and mixing of fluid in the pitcher.
Because of the volumetric space occupied by an upright pitcher, a storage problem arises particularly when the liquid-holding capacity of a cross-sectionally circular pitcher is increased from, for example, a one quart, or one liter, size to a four quart (gallon), or four or five liter, size. The problem is particularly troublesome when the large-sized pitcher is stored, even temporarily, in a refrigerator before the resulting chilled liquid contents of the pitcher, after a final mixing, are dispensed. A cross-sectionally round pitcher of a gallon size capacity can occupy so much space that it is not suitable for practical storage on the top shelf or in the door of a domestic refrigerator.
To alleviate the pitcher size and space-consuming problem, it is proposed to reconfigure a pitcher from a cross-sectionally circular configuration to a cross-sectionally elliptical configuration, or, generically, to a so-called race-track configuration. The term "cross-sectional race-track configuration" (or equivalent word form) is used herein as a convenience to designate a pitcher configuration characterized by having (a) spaced, opposed, symmetrical, curved, or, alternatively, flattened side walls (the latter now preferred), with (b) interconnecting symmetrical, opposed, semi-circular end walls. However, such a configuration causes a new problem to arise--the mixing head of common prior art mixing subassembly is configured for use in a cross-sectionally circular pitcher, and is not suitable, or sufficiently effective, for use in the reconfigured pitcher. Even assuming that suitable means for mounting the prior art mixing subassembly through the lid of the reconfigured pitcher is found, the mixing capacity or mixing efficiency of the prior art mixing subassembly is generally insufficient or inadequate for acceptable marketing purposes even for domestic utilization.
Thus, a need arises for an improved combination of pitcher and cooperating mixing subassembly, particularly a combination wherein the pitcher has a space-saving non-circular cross-sectional configuration, and wherein the mixing head of the mixing assembly is adapted for producing mixing of the liquid contents of the pitcher in a highly efficient and effective manner. The present invention satisfies this need.